Mechanism for opening huller gin breasts



March 11, 1941. F. E. DEEMS MECHANISM FOR OPENING HULLER GIN BREAST$ 2Sheets- Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 29, 1938 INVENTOR FI-Pfl/VK DEE/r75 W IATTORNEYS March 11, 1941.

F. E. DEEMS MECHANISM FOR OPENING HULLER GIN BREASTS Filed Dec. 29, 19582 Sheets-Sheet 2 ms M h E M W F UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MECHANISMFOR OPENING HULLER GIN BREASTS Frank E. Deems, Birmingham, Ala.,assignor to Continental Gin Company, a corporation of DelawareApplication December 29, 1938, Serial No. 248,231

9 Claims.

My invention relates to huller gins having separable inner and outerbreasts pivotally mounted and adapted to be moved together to clear thesaws and to be moved apart to permit the dumping of the roll of cotton,hulls and the like from the roll box, whenever such is desirable.

My invention contemplates employing substantially the mechanismdisclosed in my pending application Serial No. 166,262 for moving orshifting the double breast as a whole to clear the saws. In my presentinvention I propose to latch, or detachably connect, the inner and outerbreasts in their normal or assembled relationship and to so dispose thepivotal support for the outer breast that it is unbalanced and, whenunlatched, will open automatically to permit the roll to be dumped.

My invention further contemplates taking advantage of the outwardtilting of the upper portion of the double breast, as it is movedoutwardly to clear the saws, to so shift the pivot of the outer breastas to unbalance the latter suficiently to cause it to open quickly andhang wide enough open for the free dumping of the roll.

My invention further contemplates changing the design of the innerbreast heads so as to bring the pivotal support for the outer breast insuch outward-position that, as the double breast rocks to clear thesaws, the outer breast is increasingly unbalanced outwardly to swingaway from the gin as it is moved to full open position, and isdecreasingly unbalanced as the double breast is swung back to operatingposition, such change in the pivotal center of the outer breast enablingme to use gravity both to open and to close the outer breast.

My invention further contemplates so shifting the double breast by meansof any suitable operating mechanism which will lock it in either inneror outer position, and so arranging the pivotal mounting for the outerbreast that by a rapid inward movement of the double breast on itssupports, the outer breast will be caused to swing with a gravitatingmovement into position to relatch itself to the inner breast.

A distinctive object of my invention may therefore be said to be sodesigning and actuating the inner breast that an outer breast, pivotallysupported therefrom, will to all practical purposes both open and closeitself by gravity, and will hang freely open continuously to allow forthe dumping of the roll, without imposing any arduous work, ornecessitating any continuous attention, on the part of the gin operator.

My invention further contemplates providing the breast members withcomplemental latch elements, the movable latch elements being arrangedat both ends of the gin andpreferably cross connected so that they canbe operated to ether 5 from either end of the gin, as by a foot pedal,to unlatch them. I

My invention further comprises the novel details of construction andarrangements of parts, which are sufiiciently illustrated to be clearlyunderstood by those skilled in the art in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a huller gin with itse base brokenaway and its inner and outer breast members shown closed and inoperating position, the change in position of the pivot and center ofgravity of the outer breast resulting from the movement of the breaststo clear the saws being indicated by dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental plan view looking down upon the operatingmechanism for the double huller breast and showing the parts in theposition in Fig. 1, the counter-balancing springs being broken away forsake of clarity.

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 with the lower portion of thegin frame and inner breast broken away, the inner breast being shownmoved outwardly to clear the saws, and the outer breast being shown infull lines in open position to dump the roll and in dotted lines latchedin closed position to the inner breast.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental detail view showing the bottom latches and theirfoot pedals for latching the outer to the inner breast.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout thedrawings.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated, I show a portion of a ginframe In having bearings II in which the shaft l2 for the ginsaws I3 ismounted. On the upper portion of the frame at each side I mount aprojecting track element l4, provided with a V-shaped top runwayterminating in a raised stop shoulder l5. Upon these runways I mount twotrunnion rollers l6 having aligned bearing shafts I! by which the headsof the inner breast [8 are supported. I fasten a counter-balancingspring l9 at each side of the inner breast, connecting their outer endsto pins 20 and securing their inner ends to suitable anchorages 2| onthe gin frame. These springs assist the operating mechanism in returningthe huller breast to its normal operating position shown in Fig. l, andthus lighten the duty on the operating mechanism, to be later dethebreasts in each operating position.

scribed, for lifting the double breast to closed position.

The inner breast carries suitable ginning ribs 22 and the outer breastcarries the usual hulling ribs (not shown) and between the inner andouter breasts there is formed the customary roll box in which a roll ofcotton forms, responsive to the action of the saws, which it isdesirable, from time to time, to dump in order to maintain the grade ofcotton and increase the ginning capacity.

The lower end of the inner breast head is indicated at 23 (Fig. 3) andthese ends are held by gravity against their respective inclined slidebearing block 24 mounted on the gin frame base. In Fig. 3 the end 23shown has been shifted to its lowermost position on its bearing block 24responsive to the outward movement of the inner breast supportingtrunnions IS on their tracks I4. When the trunnion wheels are run backto normal operating position; as shown in Fig. 1, these ends 23 will bedrawn back up the incline close to the top of blocks 24. This willproduce a tilting movement of the inner breast accompanying its bodilymovements on the tracks M. This method of operation of the innerbreasts, having been shown and claimed .in my accompanying applicationaforesaid, will not be further described herein.

On the gin frame at each side I provide a top perforated ear 25 andengaged in each ear is the bent end 26 of its respective link 21, whichis secured in place by a cotter pin 28. Each link 21, at its outer end,is threaded and connected by jamb nuts 29 and 30 to a swivel 3|pivotally mounted in its respective crank arm 32. The crank arm 32 atthe right hand end of the gin is integral with a crank arm 33 having ahandle 34, and both crank arms 32 are keyed to a common shaft 35journalled in the heads of the inner breast, so that both crank arms 32move in unison and through the swivel and. link connections describedwill act to force the breasts to travel inwardly and outwardly on theirtracks 14, the

in detail, nor separately claimed,

crank arms 32 in both instances moving into or slightly past dead centerposition so as to lock Fig. 3 shows the crank thrown counter-clockwisedown to position, against track end l5 as a stop, to open the doublebreast, and in this movement such breast tilts over and swingsdownwardly so that gravity assists the leverage action in applyingtension to the counter-balancing springs I 9.

It will be noted that the inner breast l8 has. its upper outer portionextended so asto overhang a considerable distance outwardly from thegin. There I provide aligned pivots C, by means of which the outerbreast 36 is pivotally suspended overhead from the inner breast. Theouter breast carries a bottom outward projecting casing 31 which maycontain any suitable mechanism, but which, as the same forms noparticular part of my present invention, is not shown. This breast 38will have a center of gravity which for example is indicated at CG.

At any suitable position, preferably at or near the bottom of each outerbreast head I mount a latch 38, and these latches are keyed to a commoncross shaft 39 so as to move in unison and have bevelled heads 40normally held in position by the stop pin 4| for each to engage itsrespective latch pin or keeper 42 properly placed on the heads of theinner breast l8, so that when the two breasts are swung together, thelatches ride over and interlock with the pins 42 so as to hold thebreast members assembled. The outer ends of the latches are out-turnedas at 43 to form foot treadles so that the operator by pressing his footon either of these may trip the latches and free the inner from theouter breast.

In Fig. 3 the dotted letters CG show the position of the center ofgravity of the closed outer breast (shown in dotted lines) withreference to its pivotal center C in the position the latter assumeswhen the double breast is rolled out to clear the saws, and it will beat once apparent, by reference to the dotted line running through thecenters C and CG of the outer breast shown open in full lines, to whatextent the outer breast when closed is unbalanced so as to open itselfby gravity the moment its latches 38 are kicked loose. When this is donethe outer breast will swing out and come to rest in the full lineposition shown in Fig. 3, in which it is amply open for the roll to bedumped from the roll box. In connection with the dumping operation it isimportant to note that the outward bodily movement of the inner breasttilts it about its lower bearings 24 so as to increase the pitch of theupper portion of the ginning ribs 22 so that the latter will notconstitute a shelf or support for the cotton roll in the roll box butwill permit it freely to fall out. This is an important difference fromthe result obtained where the breasts are hinged to swing about a fixedupper pivot because there the lifting or opening of the inner breasttends to decrease the pitch of the ginning ribs and to increase theirtendency to catch and hold the cotton roll so as to prevent its readyescape. It will also be noted that the outer breast will hang freely bygravity as in Fig. 3 in roll discharging position without requiring itbe held there by the operator. Obviously the center of gravity will varyas to position in different outer breasts, but it must be displacedinwardly relatively to the vertical center line through its pivot (Fig.3) sufficiently to cause the outer breast when unlatched to openby'gravity.

The closing of the outer breast from its open full line position, asshown in Fig. 3, is very easily and simply accomplished by grasping thehandle 34 and running the inner breast in on its tracks I4 with theassistance of the springs Hi. If this is done reasonably rapidly thepivot C will take, as the inner breast rocks inwardly, such a lead overthe center of gravity CG that, it will reach its full line or closedposition Fig. 1 faster than CG will reach its full line position. Thiswill unbalance the outer breast towards the gin and build up an inertiaas a result of which this breast will swing its center of gravity onpast a vertical line through the pivot C far enough for its latches 38to engage and latch it to the inner breast. If it so happens that themovement of the breast is too slow to accomplish this outer breastclosing operation entirely automatically the operator needs only topress with his left hand lightly against the front of the nearlybalanced outer breast to give it the necessary additional impulse thatwill carry it into latching position, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 3.The burden and labor of manipulating the breast 36 by hand is thusentirely, or to all practical purposes, eliminated in my presentinvention and it is made quite simple and easy for an operator to setthe breasts, and to leave them set, either in operative positionrelative to the saws, or with the breast elements assembled and movedout'to clear the saws, or with the breasts out and open to dump theroll.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptibleof various changes and modifications, without departing from the spiritthereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall beplaced thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specificallyset forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a huller gin, saws, a double breast comprising a roll box, andmeans to move said double breast into and out of operative relation tothe saws, said double breast comprising an inner breast and an outerbreast, means to hang the outer breast in unbalanced relationship to theinner breast whereby its lower end when free will swing by gravity awayfrom the inner breast into position to dump the roll box contents, andreleasable means for normally holding the breasts assembled in operativerelationship.

2. In a huller gin, saws, a double breast comprising a roll box, meansto move said double breast into and out of operative relation to saidsaws, said double breast comprising an inner breast and an outer breast,means to pivotally mount the outer breast on the inner breast inposition for the lower end of the former, when free, to swing away bygravity from the latter breast and hang in position to dump the roll boxcontents, and latch means normally holding the breasts assembled inoperative relationship.

3. In a huller gin, saws, a double breast comprising a roll box, movableupper supports for said double breast, means to move said supportstoward and from the gin to shift the double breast into and out ofoperative relation to the saws, said double breast comprising an innerbreast and an outer breast, means to pivotally connect the upperportions of said breasts in position for the outer breast, when movedout of operative position and released, to swing its lower portion awayby gravity from the inner breast and hang in position to dump the rollbox contents, and latch means normally holding said breasts assembled.

4. In a huller gin, a double breast comprising inner and outer breasts,latch means to hold said breasts together in assembled relationship inwhich they are unbalanced towards the gin, means to move the assembledbreasts bodily outwardly about a lower fulcrum on the gin intoinoperative position, and means to suspend the outer breast so that itwill be unbalanced outwardly in the inoperative position of theassembled breasts sufiiciently to swing open by gravity upon the releaseof said latch means and hang in roll-dumping position.

5. In a huller gin, saws, a double breast forming a roll box andcomprising an inner breast, an outer breast hinged overhead to the innerbreast, latch means to hold the breasts in assembled relationship, meansto shift the upper portion of both breasts outwardly relatively to thegin to move them out of operative relation with the saws, a lowerfulcrum about which the breasts rock as they shift, the double breast inits several operating positions remaining unbalanced toward the gin, andthe hinge point of the outer breast being disposed to substantiallyunbalance it away from the gin when the breasts are in their outerinoperative position and to reduce the extent of the unbalancedcondition as the outer breast is shifted inwardly towards operativeposition whereby sumcient inertia may be set up in the outer breast asto cause it automatically to relatch itself in operative relation to theinner breast.

6. In a huller gin, saws, a double breast comprising an inner and anouter breast, overhead breast supports movable on the gin to shift theminto and out of operative position relative to the saws, the innerbreast being substantially unbalanced toward the gin and the outerbreast being substantially unbalanced and mounted to swing away from theinner breast when released, and latch means to releasably hold the innerand outer breast members engaged, a bottom fulcrum on which the lowerend of the inner breast both slides and rocks as it is shifted, thepivotal center of the outer breast being such that its inward angularmovement responsive to the closing of the inner breast will set upsufficient inertia and sufficiently reduce the unbalanced condition ofthe outer breast to enable it to relatch itself automatically to theinner breast when the latter resumes normal operative position.

7. A huller gin, comprising saws, a double breast forming a roll box andhaving an inner breast and an outer breast, shiftable supports on thegin for said double breast, the inner breast having the upper portion ofits heads extended abnormally outwardly, pivotal supports for the outerbreast in said extended portions of the inner breast whereby the outerbreast is normally unbalanced to swing away from the gin, means latchingthe lower ends of the breast members together in operative position, andmeans to shift the supports for both inner and outer breast memberstoward and from the gin.

8. A huller gin, comprising saws, a double breast having an inner breastand an outer breast forming between them a roll box, upper shiftablesupports for the double breast, and means to move said supports towardand from the gin to shift the double breast into and out of operativerelation to the saws, the inner breast in all operative positions havingits overhead pivotal axis disposed inwardly with respect to its centerof gravity whereby it remains unbalanced toward the gin, pivotalsupports for the outer breast so disposed that in all operativepositions the outer breast will remain unbalanced away from the gin,means to latch the inner and outer gin sections in operativerelationship, and a stop engaged by the lower end of the inner breastabout which its upper portion, including the pivotal bearing for theouter breast, slides as the breasts are shifted and their respectivepivotal supports shifted inwardly with respectto their respectivecenters of gravity.

9. In a huller gin, saws, an inner breast pivoted overhead to rollersupports and having its lower end unbalanced, a bearing support aboutwhich the lower end of said breast is adapted to rock as the breast ismoved to opened or closed position relative to the saws, said innerbreast having extended heads, and an outer breast pivoted overhead inthe extended portions of the heads in position to unbalance the outerbreast so that it will swing by gravity to open position, coacting latchmeans mounted at both ends of the lower portion of the outer and innerbreasts which will automatically engage when the double breast membersare shifted inwardly with sufficient speed to set up an inertia in theopen outer breast to overcome its unbalanced condition, and pedalactuated means to trip said latches from either end of the gin.

FRANK E. DEEMS.

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